Every time the first track of Toy Soldiers’ Whisper Down the Lane comes on, my son thinks it’s the beginning of the Johnny Cash song “Going to Memphis.” But he is never disappointed when he realizes his mistake. The song, “Throw Me Down,” begins with an tinny, echoing couple of lines from lead singer Ron Gallo that give way to a roll-the-windows-down, crank-it-til-the-knob-falls-off, sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs good time. A bluesy guitar riff rolls along toward a call-and-answer between Gallo and Kate Foust (Perkasie), who channels her inner blues goddess, and then Gallo and the ever-soulful Vinchelle Woods.

And that’s just the first song.

The rest of the album has a rockabilly spirit, but calls to mind a wide variety of influences – traces of everything from The Clash to Led Zeppelin to Roy Orbison. Listening to this CD is like drinking really good wine; the flavor develops and blooms and hints at a well-rounded appreciation for and love of music. There’s a whole lot of talent on this disc. A dozen musicians are credited on the liner notes, playing everything from the expected (guitar, piano, variety of vocals) to the more unexpected (banjo, slide guitar, harmonica, horns) to the downright delightful (“shovel”). With this many people playing, the songs end up with enough layers of sound to make Phil Spector weep. It’s great fun and it’s something that many albums can’t claim to be: interesting. Gallo’s versatility as a songwriter is vast.

This is one of those rare finds that you can play all the way through without skipping any tracks. They’re all good, and they all sound different. The title track, like “Throw Me Down,” plays with tempo to great effect. Just try to sit still.

And that’s just the CD.

See them live and I promise you’ll be an instant fan. You’re gonna love Vinchelle Woods. Check out their website to see a video of Woods on lead vocals for their cover of “Natural Woman” at World Café Live in October 2009.

If you couldn’t tell, I’ve quickly become a huge fan of this band and Whisper Down the Lane. It gets heavy rotation in our house (and in the car, and in my office), and I can’t wait to see them play live again. I look forward to watching these stars rise.~JJS